It can, but often it is overdone, which is why all the students of one school might do ikkyo one way, and all the students of another school might do it another, with both schools thinking their own to be correct and the other to be wrong. In this sense, being specific leads to self-delusion - and it is very, very common.

I can think of at least 5 different ways to 'do ikkyo' without even beginning to rack my brains. All of them demonstrate the same specific principles. I guess it depends upon what you're being specific about, principles or techniques.

Quote:

Rupert Atkinson wrote:

Being more specific should work, of course, but in martial arts it can be confounded by the human inquisitive element. We want answers, so teachers give them, and students believe them. I prefer to figure things out for myself.

Comprehension is comprehension whether it is taught or self-discovered. All actual learning consists for varying proportions of both.

My experience is that people learn more quickly when they (and their teachers) are more specific about what it is they need to be learning. As with anything, this can be overdone and become confusing.